Research & Commentary: State Policies Help Promote Misperception That Nicotine Causes Cancer

In this Research & Commentary, Lindsey Stroud examines a new survey that finds adults erroneously link nicotine to cancer and how state policies on tobacco harm reduction products help to influence this misperception.

According to a recent survey, a “majority of adults erroneously link nicotine to cancer.” The findings reveal a majority of Americans incorrectly believe that nicotine causes cancer and other health risks. These widely-held, false notions regarding the adverse health effects of nicotine may undermine its presence in tobacco harm reduction (THR) products, such as smokeless tobacco, heat-not-burn products, and electronic cigarettes. Since their introduction, THR products have helped millions quit smoking more-detrimental combustible cigarettes.

Researchers at PinneyAssociates, a pharmaceutical research firm, analyzed data from the 2017 health information national trends survey and found 53 percent of respondents “said they believe nicotine causes most of the cancer related to smoking.” Lead author of the study, Karen Gerlach, urged public health officials to properly educate “the public, especially smokers, that nicotine is not what is causing smoking-related disease.”

Public misperceptions concerning nicotine overlooks overwhelming research on one of the most intensively studied drugs in history. Nicotine, while addictive, is not considered a “highly hazardous drug.” Nicotine neither causes cancer nor plays any significant role in pulmonary or cardiovascular diseases. Nicotine is a mild stimulant, similar to coffee. Both substances are derived from plants and both are addictive and cause unpleasant side effects through abstention.

To avoid the health risks of combustible cigarettes, smokers are increasingly turning to THR products because they deliver nicotine with significantly less health hazards compared to combustible cigarettes.

Research on e-cigarettes and vaping devices continues to provide evidence that these products are effective tobacco harm reduction tools. In 2016, the Tobacco Advisory Group of the Royal College of Physicians concluded that health risks associated with e-cigarette use were “unlikely to exceed 5% of the harm from smoking.” Public Health England, in 2015, declared that e-cigarette use “is around 95% safer than smoking.”

While THR products have proven to be effective agents for smoking cessation, policy makers still treat smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes in the same manner as combustible cigarettes. Unfortunately, this adds to THR fearmongering and aids in the public’s ongoing misperception of nicotine use.

Law makers should encourage policies that promote, or at a minimum, not discourage the usage of THR products. As the recent PinneyAssociates study indicates, many Americans are ignorant of the health risks associated with nicotine use. Such opinions could hinder the public health rewards e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products provide for millions of cigarette smokers.

The following documents provide further information on tobacco harm reduction.

Vaping, E-Cigarettes, and Public Policy Toward Alternatives to Smokinghttps://www.heartland.org/publications-resources/publications/vaping-e-cigarettes-and-public-policy-toward-alternatives-to-smoking
For decades, lawmakers and regulators have used taxes, bans, and burdensome regulations as part of their attempt to reduce the negative health effects of smoking. Recently, some have sought to extend those policies to electronic cigarettes. This booklet from The Heartland Institute urges policymakers to re-think that tax-and-regulate strategy. Policymakers should be mindful of the extensive research that supports tobacco harm reduction and understand bans, excessive regulations, and high taxes on e-cigarettes often encourage smokers to continue using more-harmful traditional cigarette products.

Research & Commentary: Study Finds E-Cigarettes Would Prevent 6.6 Million Premature Deathshttps://www.heartland.org/publications-resources/publications/research--commentary-study-finds-e-cigarettes-would-prevent-66-million-premature-deaths
In this Research & Commentary, Heartland Institute State Government Relations Manager Lindsey Stroud examines an October 2017 Tobacco Control study that found electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) might help extend life for millions of people. The authors of the study found there was an estimated 6.6 million fewer deaths and more than 86 million fewer-life-years lost over a ten year period because of ENDS products. Stroud concludes the use of ENDS could also help improve the budgets of numerous state programs, including Medicaid.

Research & Commentary: New CDC Report Finds Vaping Helps Smokers Quithttps://www.heartland.org/policy-documents/research-commentary-new-cdc-report-finds-vaping-helps-smokers-quit
A new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found only 0.4 percent of the people who had never smoked tobacco in a CDC study group are current vapers, which the report defines as using a vaping device either every day or some days. The CDC report, the first of its kind, estimates e-cigarette use among U.S. adults using a nationally representative household survey. The report’s findings claim only 3.4 of adults who have never smoked have tried an e-cigarette; 12.6 percent of Americans have tried an e-cigarette; and fewer than 4 percent of the U.S. population are regular e-cigarette users.

E-Cigarettes Poised to Save Medicaid Billionshttps://www.heartland.org/policy-documents/e-cigarettes-poised-save-medicaid-billions
In a new report from State Budget Solutions, J. Scott Moody finds e-cigarette use could create significant savings for state governments, especially in their Medicaid programs: “As shown in this study, the potential savings to Medicaid significantly exceeds [sic] the state revenue raised from the cigarette excise tax and tobacco settlement payments by 87%. As such, the rational policy decision is to adopt a non-interventionist stance toward the evolution and adoption of the e-cig until hard evidence proves otherwise.”

Whether sending an expert to your state to testify or brief your caucus, hosting an event in your state, or simply sending you further information on the topic, Heartland can assist you. If you have any questions or comments, contact Heartland Institute Director of Government Relations John Nothdurft at jnothdurft@heartland.org or 312/377-4000.